Washing Up
by Madeline693
Summary: Wanda hears an intruder again while taking a bath. Wanda/Ian fluff so far. Rated T just for safety.
1. Chapter 1

I stood in the refreshingly cool water of the bath, simply enjoying the feel of the smooth water running over my body, Pet's body, and in between my toes. Just the prospect of having the constant grime of these dark caves washed from my body, especially with the gentle soaps from my last raid, felt wonderful. Pet was not used to going unwashed and having her hair unbrushed. It was disorienting. But, nevertheless, I tried not to waste the new cleaning stuff on me. Those items were only a small part of my attempts to begin to repay these humans for their surprising kindness.

I poured a small pool of lavender-scented shampoo onto my tiny palm and began scrubbing vigorously at me scalp, determined to rid it of its purplish hue. I was just about to rinse, when a noise from behind made me freeze. It sounded like it had come from right outside the cave's opening, but it was too dark to see much of anything. I quickly reprimanded myself for my returning paranoia. The bathing schedule was empty for this time slot and it was just a bad time. Dinner was still being eaten and everyone not in the dining hall was normally in bed. Plus I had no reason to fear if someone _was_ coming. I had no real enemies anymore, even if Sharon and Maggie still disapproved of me. But then there was a sound again and I thought I saw something like a shadow in this omnipresent darkness.

_Okay, no reason to be so terrified. What would Melanie think of this?_ I laughed a little to myself. She would be charging over there right now, rock in hand. Mel was never afraid of violence, so unlike me. I cleared my throat nervously.

"Is someone there?" I called in a shaky voice. Not exactly the strong tone I'd been hoping for. The shadow seemed to freeze, or at least my imagination saw it doing that. However, there was also a small noise of surprise.

"Oh! Um, yes. I'm sorry; I thought no one was here. I'll come back later."

A pause.

"Ian?"

Another pause.

"Wanda?"

"Um, yeah", I mumbled.

There was a sharp intake of breath, quickly blown back out. "I thought you were still with Mel and Jamie."

I had been coming into Melanie and Jared's room with Jamie and telling more stories before bed. Stories that I still felt uncomfortable telling the others, mainly about the invasions.

"No. No, they went to get dinner, but I wanted to get cleaned up before bed." I waited for him to speak and pondered how we were both here to clean up for the other. When would our nervousness around each other cease? We had only shared a room for a few nights. Finally the rains had stopped. Our relationship was going well, and I had never been happier, but I still wanted to always impress him.

He cleared his throat.

"Well, I guess I'll see you in a bit. I'll just wait outside."

There was yet another awkward pause.

"You don't have to." I stopped hesitantly, nervous again. "I mean you could go ahead. I can hurry, but I still have to wash my clothes. I don't want you to have to just stand there waiting." I stopped again, worrying that I had upset him. When I had started this little speech, I did not really think of the implications of a shared bath, but he had to be exhausted; I did not want him to have to wait for me. Plus this way I would see him all the sooner afterwards.

"Are you sure?" he finally replied.

"Yeah, it's fine. It's so dark--", I stopped, not knowing quite how to finish that sentence.

"Um, ok."

I waited uncomfortably while hearing his clothing fall to the stone floor. I plunged my head under water, diminishing the sounds and washing suds from my hair.

When I resurfaced he was in the water. I heard the plashes if him wading further in. I stood at the far end of the pool, afraid to go get the regular soap for my body. He took a breath as if to speak, but voiced no words. After hearing this sound repeated, I asked, "What, Ian?"

"Could you, um, hand me the shampoo? I'm not sure where it is."

"Oh sure," I replied, relieved that it was such a simple task. I felt my way to the ledge and fumbled around for it.

"Here." I stuck my hand out and took a small step towards his direction, but he was already there in front of me, far closer than expected. The back of my palm barely brushed his chest. I dropped the slick bottle in surprise.

"Sorry," I squeaked, embarrassed. I quickly reached under the water and caught the bottle before it washed away. I put my hand out again, more carefully this time and waited for him to take it.

Ian and I had not been alone, truly alone, since before the rain had started. Jamie was staying in our room, while they worked on Aaron and Brandt's room to widen it for Jamie to stay there permanently.

His fingers stayed around mine and his other hand reached out and gently brushed across my face. I subconsciously leaned into his touch and he stepped closer to set the shampoo back on the rocks behind us. His newly freed hand cupped around the other side of my face. His soft touch brushed away the few wet strands of hair clinging to my forehead. I took a small step closer to him, my breath becoming feverish. I was suddenly very warm in the cool water.

"My Wanderer," he whispered his voice caressing my name.

"Ian," I sighed his name, trying to remain calm and failing miserably.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

**A/N I'm definitely going to add one more chapter and I might make it actually have a plot later. **


	2. Chapter 2

Third from the left. I had just stated to enter this well-memorized tunnel that housed my home, when I heard Ian's voice ahead. I got a little nervous and slowed my walk slightly. After we had left the bathroom, I had had a talk with Melanie. She had stopped me forcefully, seeing Ian and me coming out of the cave together, hand in hand.

(())

"_Wanda!"_

"_What?" I quickly inquired, seeing her shocked look and wondering what had happened. "Is Jamie okay? Jared?"_

"_What are you talking about? Of course they're okay. Wait. They are okay, right?" Seeing my now immensely confused face, she stopped. "Okay, never mind. They are fine. But I need to talk to you. Now." She glanced at Ian. "Alone."_

_She still had not warmed much to Ian, but I appreciated her efforts. I knew how confusing it must be for her._

"_Uh, sure."_

_I turned to him. "Go ahead. Start eating. I'll meet up with you in the dining hall." He looked resistant and glanced uneasily at Mel. It was not that he did not trust her or anything like that. He just hated leaving me alone with another person at all. "Go. I'm fine." I gave him my best reassuring smile._

_After he was out of sight, Mel all but dragged me down the stone hallways, refusing to speak. Every time I opened my mouth she would shush me or say just a minute. I started to get worried at the angry look in her eyes. She _was_ prone to violence. Not that I thought she would seriously ever hurt me, but still…_

_My fears heightened when we reached her room. She unceremoniously shoved Trudy and Heath out of our way and then yanked me into her and Jared's room. I looked around the familiar walls, a little nostalgic._

"_What do you think you're doing?!"_

_Her voice snapped me out of my reverie._

"_Um…about what?" I squeaked, a little breathlessly._

_She took in my frightened look and softened a little._

"_Oh, snap out of it. It's not like I'm going to hit you." Despite her harsh words, she seemed slightly calmed now._

"_I just don't understand why you are so upset."_

_She took a deep breath. "Wanda, were you or were you not just taking a bath with Ian O'Shea, your _boyfriend_?"_

"_I was."_

"_Well, my goodness, Wanda! I know you said that your body was turning eighteen, but I simply don't believe it. You are far too young to do things like that! And that's just your body! In the mind you are not even two years old! Ew! I'm going to kill him!"_

_Okay, that was why she was so upset._

"_No! No, it wasn't like that," I nearly shouted, afraid for my Ian. She looked ready to interrupt and her face was unbelieving. "_Really,_" I stressed._

"_Then what _were_ you doing?" she shot back._

"_Just washing up. I didn't want to make him wait for me to be done. Seriously."_

"_So you didn't even touch each other _at all_?" She raised one eyebrow._

"_Well…" I cleared my throat nervously. "There might have been a little kissing." I averted my eyes from her face. "But he was the perfect gentleman. Please don't hurt him."_

_She seemed relieved at my apparent honesty. My lying skills had not much improved over the past months._

"_I won't," she promised. "But really do try to be careful. And of does anything to you without your express permission and understanding of said action, I _will_ make sure he never walks straight again."_

_I stared at her nervously, but then had to laugh. There was the Mel I knew and loved._

(())

I walked carefully closer to or room, carrying the trays with care. They held Jamie's and my dinners. I had gone to the dining area to find that Ian had only just left, presumably to go looking for me. I assumed tat Jamie had not yet eaten yet, however, as he normally ate with Mel and me.

As I stepped even closer to our room, I made out the words of the conversation.

"I've hardly had any _real_ time with her, you know?" Ian's voice came out of the shadowy paces ahead.

To my intense surprise, Jared's voice answered back softly. "Geez…I don't know what I would do without having Mel actually here, but never alone." There was a tense pause. "Okay. Jamie is just going to have to go somewhere else."

"No, no I don't want to have to do that to him-"

"He'll be fine. He's growing up. He'll understand."

Then half under his breath he muttered, "Man I cannot believe I am seriously helping you with this."

"But it's not like that. Really." His words echoed my own.

"Uh-huh," Jared murmured skeptically.

"I'm serious."

"Whatever. Now if you in some way hurt or upset her, I want you to know that I will happily murder you, not matter the consequences."

"Understood. And thanks, for listening and for Jamie."

I hard Jared start to leave and quickly hopped into Paige and Andy's currently vacant room, my heart beating a mile a minute.

**A/N: I meant for this chapter to be a whole lot longer, but I am leaving for camp and won't be able to update for several weeks, so I figured this was better than nothing. Sorry for the shortness. I will try to do better next time.**


End file.
